It took months, but in July of 2010 we were ready to go. In August we received an email that changed our lives forever. Jessie's birthmom contacted us and we started getting to know one another and building a relationship. As her due date got closer we made plans so that we could be there when the baby was born. However, Jessie was born a month early! We did not know if she was having a boy or a girl so the phone call that the baby had been born a month early was a surprise, but not nearly as big of a surprise as finding out that we had a beautiful baby girl waiting for us in Washington.
Within a couple hours we were on the longest plane ride of our lives. We just could not get there fast enough! But we made it to the hospital and got to hold our sweet baby girl for the first time late that night. Our lives have never been the same. In a matter of hours all the tears, and stress of waiting, and wishing for a baby were all worth it. We were standing in a hospital room sharing the most beautiful miracle with two wonderful people that we had only spoken to on the phone before that day. There aren't any "rules" as to how open or closed any adoption should be so it was up to Jessie's birthparents and us to decide what kind of a relationship we wanted. We decided that we wanted an "open" adoption and agreed on certain terms as far as staying in contact. We agreed to things like face-to-face visits, phone calls, and the sharing of photos throughout Jessie's life. For me, Stacey and Aaron are a part of our family and I have no doubt that we will always be in contact. We may not speak or get together often, but we will always be connected through Jessie. We want Jessie to know that her birthparents loved her so much that they decided to do what had to be the hardest thing in the world for them. She will learn that the best way for them to show their love for her was to make her a part of our family.
Jessie is a very loving and sweet little girl. She loves to laugh, give kisses and never seems to stop talking! She loves to be outside and is obsessed with horses and the movie Toy Story. She has already started gymnastics and enjoys playing with the other kids in Nursery class on Sundays.
Besides their basic needs, we hope to help our children become self reliant, successful, and happy with themselves. We want them to know that they are a child of God and that he loves them. We want them to learn that hard work pays off and the importance of setting goals. Children in our family will grow up with a mom and a dad that live together and love each other. We have structured our lives financially so that I am able to stay home and raise our children without the use of day-care. Our children will have the benefit of growing up near their cousins and grandparents who will love them and spoil them rotten. We recognize that our next adoption experience will be very different than our first one. We are okay with an open adoption or a closed adoption and expect that the terms of that adoption will be different than our agreement with Jessie's birthparents. I found that hearing other adoption stories helped me to know what to expect and to know what my options were when I was going through our first adoption and am hoping that this has helped you in some way. It can be a scary thing and I feel like the more you know the easier it will be to make an informed decision.
Please know that I love the miracle of adoption and would be happy to answer any questions you may have - whether you're considering us or not. You are the only person that can know what is right for you and for your baby and we will repect your wishes and your decision. Please feel free to contact us with any questions your may have! Our contact info can be found through our profile which is listed on the right hand side of this blog
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